IS BREAST FEEDING A GOOD IDEA

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KC - posted on 07/14/2010

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It is a wonderful idea! It is better for your baby in so many ways, it helps you fight off cervical and breast cancer the longer you breast feed. babies have less digestional problems. It is free and easy for you to feed baby! The bond is indescribable! I love breast feeding. And if you ever have a question about BF, there are La Leche League groups all over the world, and everyone is here to help us new moms, and us experienced moms! Wonderful organization!

I just want to make a quick comment on some of the other replies because I think some of them are very harsh. This is meant to be a support group for other moms and I think it's important to remember to be courteous in our responses. It doesn't matter if you think BFing is the only way to go because it is not. It's important to give support, especially to this new mother who is asking for our input on the issue of "is breastfeeding a good idea." Despite what others may think BFing is not the only option and it is completely a personal choice. It is not for us to tell her that BFing is the only way to go. The only thing we can do is give her advice and let her know how our experience with BFing has been. I think some of us need to keep this in mind because it is a personal decision to BF or formula feed.

Its only hard in the beginning. I feel its more work fussin with bottles in the middle of the night than putting the baby in bed w me and poppin a boob in his mouth. its just getting the technique down thats tough. as soon as ya get that down your golden!!!!!

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Julie - posted on 07/20/2010

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oh and to date if he had been on formula we would have spent over 200$ a month on him just for that 200 times a year is 1600 dollars when you can give your baby milk that is made just for him for free!!!!!

its a great idea my son is 6 months old and is exclusively BF and i dont think i could do the whole bottle thing i had to put him on furmula for three days cause i was sick and the meds might transfere it was so hard doing the bottle thing i would rather BF

It is really not much work when you consider the price of formula, and the fact that you have to make sure you have clean bottles, the right temperature etc. Breastfeeding is free, always available (can anyone say middle of the night??) and the perfect food for your child! You rarely hear of a baby that can't tolerate breastmilk and rarely do they get constipated...big problems for mom and baby! Breastfed babies are healthier, happier and have higher IQs. I could go on and on about it, I don't know why anyone would even think twice! At least give it a shot...you may like it!!!

It's the best option!!! And it's a little bit of work in the begining, but it gets waaaaay easier! Plus, it's so simple, all you do is take out your brest and there's your babies food right there! No mixing formula and heating bla bla bla. It's awesome!

For sure! My son was exclusively breastfed until we started solid foods, and he still nurses in the mornings and evenings. He has been so healthy, plus it is a wonderful bonding experience for both of you. I would check with a lactation consultant in your area if you have any questions. It will also save you so much money, because it's free! A container of formula is like $20-$25+, so add that up!

is this a serious question? Too much work? What do you think having kids is a walk in the park? I don't mean to be rude but having a child takes a lot of devotion, you shouldn't not do something beneficial because it's too much work....

Wow.... YES!!!! I was a working & breastfeeding mom & exclusively nursed while with my children (evenings, mornings, weekends, etc). Neither one ever had formula. I BF both until they were 14-15mo old. As a matter of fact, my son didn't wean until I hit the second trimester with my daughter. There might be an adjustment period at the beginning, but it is soooooooo worth it! The bond is unimaginable & (like someone else said) once you get the technique down, there's nothing easier. I think too many people give up too early on. I'll be honest, I think I probably got more sleep than other people that I know, because we co-slept & all I had to do was latch them on at night & we would both go back to sleep. FANTASTIC!! Plus, the heath benefits for both mother & baby are off the charts! GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ya know i started out breast feeding when u r at home it so much easier than making a bottle of formula...however when u go out and they get hungry the formula is much easier. my baby has never been sick and im quite positive that its due to breastfeeding. i do both formula and nursing and its great...howver i have noticed that sometimes he will refuse to nurse and want the bottle. the dr said that its because they dnt have to work so much for the food with the bottle. i hope that this helps u to decide...but do wats best for ur baby and whats easiest for ur lifestyle

One other benefit to nursing is how much it helps YOU feel better! Feel-good, relaxing hormones are released while you're nursing.As far as it being much work: it certainly isn't as much work as making a bottle, and when you factor in the work that needs to be done to make money to pay for formula, it's even more worth it.Another nice thing about nursing, you can do it laying down and fall asleep and baby still gets to eat! :)

bf has all the essentials your baby will need for the first 6 months, it's free and easy to access.it goes evcerywhere with you. i had to start my daughter by finger feeding then the nipple shield. it took 3 months before she latched without the nipple shield. im glad i stuck with it tho.

You've got an amazing lot replis and I haven't managed to read them all but have a few points worth considering. A lot of research has been done looking at benifits for mum and baby of Breastfeeding as well as comparison studies for formula. Recently was sent a couple of documents with information new to me. Babies that are BF are better at self regulation of milk ie when a baby has been using bottles in early infancy he/she is more likely to empty a bottle regardless of how much he/she actually needs. This report then leads to another that was sent to me stating that babies who have BF until atleast 4 months were less likely to suffer adolecent obesity. Since my family have members with weight issues I was quite glad to find this study. there are so many benefits to your health - reduce risk of breast cancer - osteoporosis and the list continues. emotionally it helps with bonding physically it helps your body recover from birth. For baby it boost immune systems and it doesn't get any more organic. For solid reasons check babyfriendly website and unicef sites as well as La leche. hope this helps.

with my experiences with nursing i went by the rule of 2s. nurse within the first 2 hours of being born(now they are saying nurse the 1st hour but really the sooner the better) then promise yourself you'll stick with it for 2 daysthen say to yourself 2 days wasnt that bad so i'll go 2 weeks, then 2 months & now my daughter will be 2 years in sept & still nursing. not to mention nursing my 3 month old as well and pumping 10 oz a day to get back to work! its SO worth it!the meaning is give your self & your baby a chance. set little goals & celebrate them! the beginning is the hardest but once you get into the groove of things its the easiest thing in the world! you go girl! you can do it!

As far as it being a lot of work, I disagree. While I will not say it's easy, because some people do have problems, It is definitely less work than formula feeding. You do need to nurse often during the first several weeks in order to build up your milk supply, but after that, it is much easier. Just consider this...1. You always have your breasts with you, you may not always have enough formula, clean water if using powdered, a clean bottle, etc. 2. It's always at the right temperature, no heating (or cooling bc you accidentally made it too hot) needed 3. It's WAY cheaper! 4. no bottles to clean 5. It's ready immediately, no waiting (and therefore no crying baby while you're waiting) 6. It is healthy for mom and baby (provided mom is not taking any medications or drinking that could be harmful to the baby). 7. helps bring your uterus shrink back faster And much more! In my experience, it has been quick, convenient, and cheap! I did have a few infections, which were painful, but they passed fairly quickly and don't regret any of it! Good luck. Make the choice that is right for you and your baby...something only you can decide. And don't be afraid of asking for help. Also remember that if it hurts something isn't right...it could be an infection or something as simple as the baby not latching on correctly (which can be fixed). There are plenty of helpful books and support groups out there.

Especially with your first you should definitely try to just stick with breastfeeding to get your milk supply started. You can breastfeed when you are with your baby and later let people give them formula when you are away if you don't want to pump. A lot of people that want to try both right away are not successful with breast feeding. Giving formula when they are first born takes all there appetite and you don't get enough stimulation to get your milk supply strong. Breast feeding is such a wonderful experience after the first couple weeks that if you get started you may never want to give your baby formula.

im stil bf my twin babies and they are now 8 months i will continue the bf until the can walk or even longer. it was hard getting the tecnique with both but its now so much easier than doing the formula thing, my twins were only once sick and i have not had a cold since befoe i found out i was pregnand. i have lost 20kg bcoz of bf ( not that i wanted to loose the weight) i have not had a single sore nipple exept for the teething bites. lol. i share such an amasing bond with my twins and ill recommemd to any mother or mother to b the bf. good luck and enjoy every breast feeding moment

My son is 10 months and I still breastfeed. I've been through all the "disadvantages" - "mastitis", "cracked nipples", "engorgement", "loss of independance", "following a healhty lifestyle" etc etc...but the benefits outweighs 100 times over all the "disadvantages" that come along with breastfeeing. Nothing is more important to me than my son - and knowing he's getting the best nutritian a mother can offer, gives me a great sense of accomplishment and worth.

If that's not enough incentive - breastfeeing lowers the risk of SIDS as well as breastcancer.

Extract from the La Leche League International The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding Seventh Revised Edition pg 6"When you breastfeed your baby, you're providing him with the best possible infant food. No product has ever been as time-tested as mother's milk. Human milk contains all the nutrients your baby needs and is more easily digested and assimilated than any other infant food. As reassuring as this is, superior nutrition is only one fo the many advantages you and your baby gain from breastfeeding".

Choosing not to breastfeed because it seems like too much work is a very poor excuse and somewhat selfish.

If you think breastfeeding is going to be hard, think about how hard it would be to try and mix a bottle of formula at 4:30am after 2 combined hours of sleep. Then think about picking up your baby and cuddling. Which sounds more appealing? Also, depending on what kind of formual you use, you will spend about $1700 for a year of formula. Breastfeeding = $0. Also, breastfeeding burns calories to help take off baby weight. Breastfed infants have less allergies, get sick less often, learn to only eat when they are hungry, and have less of a chance of becoming overweight. Personally, I would recommend against using a combination of breastfeeding and bottle feeding for 2 reasons. First, using formula will kill your milk supply instantly and second, your baby may decide he/she only wants bottles because they are physically easier for baby to drink. Both of these reasons may have you weaning to 100% formula before you are ready. My overall opinion is to try it and see if it works for you and your baby and when you decide what is right for the both of you, do not let anyone tell you that you are wrong.

Breastfeeding is the best for your baby by far. It is definitely the most difficult the first couple weeks. It definitely gets better and forms an amazing bond between you and your baby. I just had my first child and I have been breastfeeding her for two months. I have found it much more convenient especially in the middle of the night. I think you should give it a try and see if it works for you. Try not to give up though I promise it gets easier.

However if you do try and just cannot do it. Formula will not hurt your baby. It is not by any means bad for him/her and will not make you a bad mother. No matter how people may treat you. Good Luck. I hope all these posts help. :)

breastfeeding is wonderful && great for the little one.... i did in the beginning but after a couple of days from the hospital, my daughter just lost it - so instead i bought a pump && it did the trick. alot more work, yes, but the baby still got the good stuff. my husband and her grandparents got to feed her too, plus it was sooo much easier when we went out, instead of having to cover up or go somewhere else. all i can say is Please Consider and/or please try at least while in the hospital.:):)

yes its a great idea. Its sooo handy, you don't have to steralise bottles, get formula ready, its just there. It gets easier once you've got the 'hang' of it too you've just gotta stick it out. I've got an 8 month old and its soooo nice to have the bonding time with my little girl every day. Go for it!!!!!

not only is breast milk made for babies, but it's made for your baby. your milk will be completely different with your next child. the decision to bf my child was the best thing i ever did. it's not easy in the beginning, you'll need some good support from your family. but in the end it's worth it! i feel so close to my child. it's free and easy. no having to get up in the middle of the night to make a bottle. if you want to use a bottle for the ease of it, i encourage you to invest into a pump. (i use a manual one, their only about $15)that way you can use a bottle and not loose your milk supply. freeze the milk in milk storage bags. it's just as fast and easy to thaw it out by running it under hot water as it is to make a bottle of formula. plus it's better for your baby. for the most part, breast feeding means less spit-up and less gas. plus breast milk doesn't stain and smells better, and the diapers don't smell as bad either.so, yes. breast feeding is a good idea. like they say, breast is best.

The first week or so will probably be uncomfortable or straight up painful, but then your body adjusts and it's no longer painful, it's free and you have it always ready when your baby's hungry! no need to fuss with baby bottles, heating, etc...not to mention the great health benefits it provides you child with. definitely worth it.

Do you want to loosed your baby weight right away? Do you want your body to feel that close comfort to your baby? Do you want to get up at three am and make bottles for screaming baby? You dont want to make the bottles when you can conviently have it readily available for your child in a ready to serve nipple that they love and sooth themselves too! if you are going back to work it still can be done just make sure that you pump regularly throughout the day....when you know how amazing it is for your baby its not as frustrating as you may think. and if you are staying home....why spend so much money on formula...i just now had to swtich cuz the doc told me too we are pregnant and i hate it...she hates formula and she wants that comforting bond that we had!!!! I am telling you dont waste time on formula its so worth breastfeeding....DONT give up in the beginning buy a good pump and relieve your breast when needed and you wont get engorged! my daughter didnt latch on for 4 DAYS and we have made it till she was 10 months! and i would have gladly continued till she was one! It is the best thing for your child and its convenient! no carrying around formula and bottles!

I highly recommend at least trying for all the reasons all the other mom's have listed. I am a single, young mom who works full time. I only took 2 weeks maternity leave which threw my son and I an even larger learning curve. When he was born he has breathing problems where I wasn;t able to nurse him the first two days. At that point I actually had a nurse tell me that it wouldn't be worth my time since I was young she didn't think I'd give it my all and I'd give up. But I worked with him and it has totally been worth it. As for formula...I saw where you said you were thinking of doing both. There has been a few times while we were in the hospital where formula was a necessity but it is not worth trying to switch back and forth in my opinion. I wore more of it than he ate because it requires a different sucking action and is much easier which he didn't understand. He took in more air which upset his tummy and I got spit up on more than I did nursing and it is much heavier there fore harder to digest. Just from a few bottles he was nearly consipated which lead to more fussiness. So using both I don't recommend just for the simple fact it is hard on their little body.Either way that you go though I wish you the greatest luck with it. Two things I strongly recommend that you remember with either decision though. One. No matter which way you go it is your decision and yours alone. Two when people tell you that you should've done the other-don't let it get to you. (and either way you go I'm sure at least one person will have something to say about it. )Greatest luck to you...And don't get discouraged.♥♫☼Hope

If you want your baby to have the best you can provide, then breastfeed! Your new job as Mommy is to give her the best! And yes, sometimes it is hard, but your baby deserves it... right?

P.S. No formula! Formula is only intended for the very, very few people who cannot breastfeed for whatever reason. The stuff is a man-made imitation of breast milk... why give your baby the imitation when she can have the real thing and all the benefits of it?!?! Some of the benefits include bonding, skin-to-skin contact, a protective lining for the baby's newly developing system, protection from disease of other immunities, help regulating body temperature, steady eating habits, as the milk changes during each feeding it quenches her thirst and fills her up and helps put her to sleep, and lots more things like a higher I.Q. and self-esteem, lower chance of breast cancer for you AND the baby, help shrinking your uterus and body to get it back to the way it was pre-baby, lower chance of obesity for your baby.... the list goes on!) Other moms have posted some great sites. You can also check out the YouTube video "101 Reasons to Breastfeed."

For you and your baby's sake, please breastfeed! It is soooo so so so so so so so SO worth it!

breast is best as they say, it is hard sometimes expecially when your trying to do something but it is worth it for me! we also co sleep so i dont have to get up in the middle of the night to get him, he finds it in the dark , and there is not waking up completly. women that beast feed also get more sleep the women who bottle feed :)

Breast fedding is a GREAT Idea ! for a few reasons, - Cost of formula is crazy. - It creats a great bond between u and ur baby (i love it) - If your sick, your baby most likely wont be (i been sick and he's still healthy) - and it's just the best thing you can give your baby. :) So if u are breat feeding able, totally do it. :) its worth it, definatly worth it.

Strictly from a cost savings point of view, breastfeeding is a good idea. Formula is very expensive, especially if your baby needs the soy formula. It's also very convenient (no bottles, formula, or whatever). Also, the majority of breastfed babies have reduced amount of illness and infection. Therefore, reducing the cost of health care. Just think about it. It was the best thing I did for me and my baby.

Or rather, given all of the reasons that formula use is detrimental to you and your baby, not breastfeeding is a really bad idea.Reasons to avoid formula: you'll get less sleep, your baby is at higher risk of infection, you will have greater risk for cancer, it is expensive, it is environmentally un-friendly, it causes upset tummies, it allows you baby to have more allergies, it doesn't help the baby sleep, it separates you from your child, it is a pain to pack with you everywhere you go, it makes baby poop disgusting. I could go on, but you see the point. :-)

You do whatever you feel is natural. I will say this however after being experienced in breastfeeding and formula feeding. I never felt so tired whilst breastfeeding as I did with bottle feeding. Think about it this way, the baby wakes up at 2am crying for a feed. You very tired go to your kitchen to heat up a bottle. 20 mins later bottle is heated. You then feed your baby the bottle. The baby goes to sleep and wakes up again at 4am. You have to get up again after another hour of sleep go to the kitchen same rigmarole again. and again the next few hours. Only one type of scenario. Breastfeeding however is on tap at the right temperature just get up change the baby's nappy/diaper whatever word you use for it. Then latch baby on for about 20-30 mins. In my experience after a good long feed like that the baby slept for 6 hours. Again I am not saying this is a definite what will be situation, but I am saying that breastfeeding is not a lot of work, more convenient and you will feel better for it. Remember that its good for your baby and good for you. Helps your womb contract back to normal size within 4-6weeks. Prevents breast and ovarian cancers by 4% each year you breastfeed. Here is a link to all the advice from my country you may find some from your own too but this gives you all the benefits listed for you and your baby.

The World Heath Organization recommends breast feeding only (no solids, no formula, no water; just breast milk) for the first six months of life. It decreases YOUR chance of cancers, the baby's risk of obesity and cancers. It's free. It creates a bond that cannot be beat. It's easier than lugging around formula and bottles. You don't have to make a bottle in the middle of the night. Etc etc etc. I love it! I wouldn't have it any other way!

Yep, absolutely. Even with sore nipples and all. I had a very easy time breastfeeding with my first daughter(now 8) even with cracked nipples.Pure Lanolin did wonders...My second daughter on the other hand(now 2) was hell. But even still I let her feed until she was ready to wean. Thankfully, neither of my daughters would take a bottle even with breast milk. They didn't like the rubber nipple. I feel for the women who can't breasfeed all due to different reasons. It is all personal choice.

it is amazing to breast feed, it is the best thing for you and your baby. It is way easier than bottles no serializing, measuring, warming, making sure that when you are out you have enough, the list goes on. Oh and did I mention it has been proven that women that breast feed sleep more than women who don't. Oh yeah have you ever tasted formula it taste horrible.